Rumbles of Thunder
by Quirnheim
Summary: How did Lei Shen become the dreaded Thunder King? My story explores this legendary tale.
1. Chapter 1

**Rumbles of Thunder: The Tale of Lei Shen and Master Ra **

**DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT. NOT OFFICIAL LORE. WORLD OF WARCRAFT IS COPYRIGHT OF ACTIVISION BLIZZARD AND ITS AFFILIATES. I AM NOT A REGISTERED AUTHOR OF THE COMPANY. **

_Chapter 1 _

**The stones shifted uneasily in his grasp. **_**Stone is firm, enduring. It will hold.**_

_**That is what we must endeavor to become. **_**A sharp exhale of breath as he climbed on.**

_**It is a pity that only I see it so clearly. No matter. I will make the rest of them open their eyes.**_

__**Lei Shen pulled himself up onto the ledge. **

** The crackling of fires and the smell of smoke filled the air, as the stars shone over Kun-Lai's mountainous peaks once again. **_**We have been climbing for what seems like an eternity...**_** mused Lei Shen as he paced the makeshift campsite back and forth. **

** Kun-Lai's peaks were visible from all points of the campsite. The vast array of mountains stood out across the landscape like fingers rising to greet the sky, their snow-tipped peaks reaching into the heavens. The other peaks now loomed below; the mogu group had climbed past the last of the peaks several days ago. **

** A hand startled Lei Shen out of his musings. "My lord." It was one of his guards. **

** "What is it, Ronquin?" he barked.**

** "We've gone over our food provisions as you ordered, sir." The guard shifted uneasily as he spoke; armor creaking as he did so. "We have enough to last us perhaps four more weeks at best." **

** Lei Shen sighed. Four weeks ago, he had departed from his holdings in the eastern part of the Kun-Lai Plains with a party of five. He had, at the insistence of his friend and adviser Vu, taken a small bodyguard troupe with him on the climb. Leading the troupe was Qon, the only mogu that the young warlord trusted his life with. **

** The reason for this climb was simple – Lei Shen sought The Master; the one from ages past that the Mogu, formerly creatures of stone, had served for uncounted eons. Known as Ra-Den, or "Master Ra" in his tongue, the Master had not been seen or heard from in several millennium. **

** After the mogu became cursed with flesh; the weak, soft skin that now plagued their race,The Master refused to answer their pleas. No matter how long they waited, no matter how loud they yelled, no matter how many they sacrificed – He remained silent. **__

** As a result of this silence, the once-unified Mogu had descended into chaos. Powerful individuals gathered followers and slaughtered one another for pitiful tracks of land. For thousands of years, the clans had fought for dominance and supremacy over both the land and the other mogu. Lei Shen was born into one such clan; his father, Guo-Lai, was a powerful warlord – a brutal, strong and above all, tactful leader. But his father lacked the vision that Lei Shen possessed. **

** Delving deep into the historical texts of his people, Lei Shen had found out the last known location of The Master – the Thundering Mountain; a cursed place to mogu clans even to this day. The peaks of the mountain, the tallest in the world, crackled and boomed with thunder, while storm clouds crowded the summit, obscuring it from view. This was His home – and with any hope, He was still there. **

** Many mogu had asked themselves why. **_**Why had The Master gone silent when he did?**_** Scholars had many theories, from death(those who made that claim in Lei Shen's clan were executed for blasphemy, of course), to His judging of the new mogu as unworthy and weak. Whatever the case, Lei Shen would find out what – and if He still lived, beseech Him to unify the mogu again – with himself at the helm. **

** The vision of the future – HIS future, was what kept Lei Shen going. He would prove himself worthy to The Master, one way or another. **

** "I do not care how much food we need, Ronquin. We make it last, no matter what." Huffing, he turned away from the guard and back to the campsite – which consisted of a bonfire, several sleeping bags and backpacks of food. **

** "Of course, my lord. But, what if we reach the summit and -"**

** "And nothing. We will find Him. I know it. And I need you to trust me." **

** Ronquin sighed, and then nodded. "Of...of course, my lord." With that, the guard returned to his sentry duty. **

** Lei Shen shook his head as the other mogu departed. His own guards did not believe in this quest. No one did – when he told his father Guo-Lai of his plans, the elder mogu had bellowed such laughter that it vibrated the yurt that he sat in. **

_** It matters not, **_**Lei Shen thought to himself, biting his lip as he looked out upon the world below, **_**They can laugh all they like. When I return at the head of a united force lead by The Master himself, as his chosen champion, they will all bow before me. **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2 **_

** "My lord."  
**

** Lei Shen gasped as he shot awake, the cool morning air washing over his skin. The campfire was but a smoldering group of ashes and, as he peered around, his guard troop stood obediently to one side, the large sacks of supplies secured tightly to their backs. **

** "Gah! Qon, why did you not wake me sooner?" he sighed, rubbing his eyes and shaking his head to clear his mind of thoughts. **

** Qon, a red-skinned mogu with a harsh-looking face, gave a bow as he rose. "I apologize, my lord, but you left orders to not be disturbed. We have come far; you needed your rest." **

** Rising to his feet, Lei Shen exhaled as he stretched his arms out as far as he could, kicking his left foot upon the stone simultaneously. "I suppose you are correct. I am well rested; now we may continue. The summit looms above us, Qon. Look to the heavens." **

** Both Qon and Lei Shen peered upward. The storm-clouds that blocked the summit of the Thundering Mountain still loomed ominously in the distance, the roar of thunder faint but always present. **

** Qon appeared to open his mouth slightly in awe before closing it again. "Forgive me, my lord, but the closer we get to the summit, the more uneasy I get. This place is cursed; I fear you may be harmed." **

** Lei Shen laughed before turning to his bodyguard. "Ha! Do not fear, Qon, none may harm me. And besides, you are here to protect me, are you not?" he bellowed with a grin. **

** "Always, my lord. From now until the end." **

** With a nod, Lei Shen pushed his way to the rock path and beckoned to his troupe. "Come. Destiny awaits. We climb until nightfall." **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

** Rain fell upon the mogu party as they continued to climb; they had crossed the threshold of the storm-clouds several hours ago and found more mountain to climb, as expected. However, the weather was now harsh and life-threatening. Great flashes of lightning slammed into the rocks around the party, tearing large chunks away from the stone. Torrents of rain fell unending upon them, making sight almost impossible; the party was forced to look upon the climbing feet of the mogu above him to keep pace with the group. **

** _It matters not_, mused Lei Shen as he continued to climb, rain slamming into his skin as knives would slice through bread, _We have come this far. We will go until the summit._ He remained unflinching as lightning blasted into the rock to the right of him, missing by only a few feet. The stone blasted chunks into a free-fall to the earth below. **

** "My lord!" cried the voice of one of his bodyguards; he couldn't make out which, however. "We must rest! The weather is unrelenting!"  
**

** Scowling, Lei Shen continued to climb. "No! This weather will not cease. We make it to the summit or we perish! Climb, brothers! We go to destiny itself!" Grunting to himself, Lei Shen continued to force himself up the rock, despite his body's protests; he ached all over and his skin blanched with pain as the unending rain continued to strike him. **

** Time held no meaning; as he climbed, Lei Shen ignored the passage of it. The group climbed and climbed, until after several long, agonizing hours, he spotted a crevice, which curved into the mountain itself. What made this particular crevice different was that foliage grew upon it. **

_**We are close, so very close! **_

** And so, Lei Shen continued to climb. **


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4 **_

** "Go! Now!" Lei Shen roared as he burst from beneath the massive tree he stood under for shelter, the crashing of lightning and rain roaring around him. His bodyguards followed him as he ran, the rain pounding his already soaked body as he pushed his aching legs onward. Their goal was nearly in sight; another tree, this one the same size as the last one but with a larger overhang. **

** Since the party had arrived at the summit of the Thundering Mountain last night, they had made camp at the mountain edge before continuing. In the morning when they arrived into the summit itself, they discovered the "cursed mount"; a massive, almost ceaseless forest spread out across the plains, battered by thunder and rain. Mixed into the forest was a swamp created from the rain; in certain areas, the mud was almost waist high on Qon, the tallest of Lei Shen's group. **

_** We are here! I will not let this weather stop us. Our destiny is at hand! **_**Lei Shen mused as he dived under the dry ground of the tree, his aching body exploding in pained release. His bodyguards followed and assumed a sitting position around him, their large spears pointed outward as they scanned the area for threats. The heavy breathing of the group was the only thing that the mogu could hear over the rain and the crash of lightning, however – Lei Shen knew that their gesture was useless – but it was appreciated none the less. **

** "My lord," Qon began as he idly wiped torrents of rain from his face and hair, "Now that we are here, what do we look for?" **

** Turning to his loyal protector, he dipped his head slightly. "We must scour the forest. The legends say that the Master resided inside the Mount, not on top of it. We must go underground to find Him." **

** "Then we shall search high and low for you, my lord." Qon turned to the other mogu bodyguards. "What is our food status?" **

** Ronquin, the guard closest to Qon on his left, pulled his large – and soaking – backpack from behind him and heaved it to the ground. Opening it, the mogu pulled out several large loaves of bread wrapped individually in silk leaves. **

** "We have enough for two weeks, perhaps three, if we only eat twice per day." **

** Lei Shen scowled. Eating food, breathing, drinking – these basic survival needs were a mistake of their weak flesh as well. Of course, he had heard the legends from his father and the other lore-keepers of his clan – when the first mogu were turned from stone to flesh, none of them knew the significance of these things. Many of the original stone legion had starved to death attempting to continue their vigil. **

** "We will not need that long to search. At first light, we go due east. I want to find the edge of this forest and search the mountainside. There must be a cave system or...or a chasm that we may climb down. Tao-quan, have you the ropes?" **

** A dark blue Mogu who sat to Ronquin's right nodded. "Aye, my lord. Enough for all five of us, plus extra." He indicated to his back. **

** "Good." Lei Shen adjusted his armour uneasily; the rain would surely rust it if he did not get it to his blacksmith in time. "Make camp for the night. Assume defensive posture. Ronquin, I want you on first watch." **

** "Yes, my lord." **

** Sighing, Lei Shen leaned back into the bark of the tree, rubbing his forehead, which throbbed in pain; a mixture of stress and height, he assumed. **

** "My lord." It was Qon, who sat beside him, the others busy setting up camp. **

** "Qon. What is it now?" Lei Shen laughed bitterly. "Are you going to tell me that this was a mistake, too?"  
**

** "No, my lord. I...must confess, however, I am confused. How shall we return from this expedition?" Qon bowed his head as he asked the question; it clearly pained him to do so. **

** Nodding, Lei Shen patted his protector on the arm. "You deserve to know. I had intended us not to come back if we failed. It would be a weakness to return to the clan empty handed. But I do not intend us to die here, Qon. We will find -something-. I know it." **

** "This place has never before been explored by mortal eyes, my lord." **

** "Exactly. Which means that there is something here. There must be! Why would all of the clans agree that this place is cursed? Why would it storm eternally here and nowhere else? Think of it, Qon! The legends speak of the Storm when they refer to the Master. He is here. He must be." **

** Qon slowly nodded, peering out to the swamp. "I...admit that it is not simply chance, my lord." He straightened his armour as he leaned back. "But, my lord, even if I do not share your faith in finding The Master, I will accompany you until death. I have sworn myself to you." **

** Lei Shen, who had steeled himself against emotion and attachment all of his life, allowed himself a genuine smile at those words. "Thank you, Qon. You are a good protector and even greater ally." **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 **

** The next morning, Lei Shen lead his group of protectors onward. For what seemed like hours, they scoured the swamp, eventually coming to a clearing where the rains did not fall as heavily. Steering himself against further disappointment, the warlord led his group into the clearing – and finally, they found what they sought. **

**Up ahead of the party was the mouth of a cave, partially obscured by tree roots and various other swamp debris. The cave mouth was small, about half the size of a regular male Mogu; this would mean they would have to crawl inside. However, the prospect of being covered in mud and filth was gone from Lei Shen's mind; they had found an opening! **

** "Behold, my brothers!" he bellowed, stopping at the entrance to the cave, "We have found what we seek! An opening into the Sacred Mount." Pausing, he stopped to look at his guards, including Qon, who stared unflinchingly ahead "We have come a long way, my followers – it has taken us many weeks to travel here. But at last...we end the phase of this journey and begin another. Into where the Master sleeps...where He waits for the one who is worthy of him! And with His blessing, I shall remake our people from a sad collection of barbarian clans into a mighty empire where we shall be feared and respected once more!".**

** His guards saluted as one, but Lei Shen could see the pride upon their faces; his speech had worked, at least in the short term. Approaching the cave mouth, he peered inside – it was, of course, pitch dark, with nothing to be seen after several yards inward. "Tao-quan, the torches." he bellowed, as the guardsman in question fumbled with his back-pack briefly before retrieving four reeds of bamboo, tied together with strings of hardened resin. **

** As Tao-quan began to light the torches with some effort, a voice interrupted Lei Shen's pondering.**

** It was his own – but different. This voice was much more enticing then he remembered. **

**_ This is it! _The voice whispered into his ear – _This is what we have come for. We are so close! So very close – all you need to do is reach out and grab the hairs of destiny! There is no one more worthy of this honour then you – no one with the vision but you! _**

**_ I do this for my people, _he told himself, shaking his head slightly, dismissing his inner voice – Glory was not his main goal in this expedition; if it was, he could find glory upon the battlefield, slaughtering the other clans that stood against him. _I will bring them together and at long last, they will have a strong leader. A worthy leader. The other, lesser races of this land will bow to OUR authority once more. _**

_** Tell yourself whatever you will, Lei Shen. I am you – I know what you truly desire. There is no shame in admitting you wish to be the overlord of a new empire. And you will now achieve it! Glory, fame, power – it is all yours, for the taking. **_

** As Tao-quan, who had finished lighting and distributing the torches to his fellow guards entered the cavern and began the slow crawl to the other side, Lei Shen found himself reflecting on his words. The words of his inner self. Why did he do this? Was it truly for his people, or was it for himself? **

_** My people come first – before my own desires.**_

** He nodded confidently to himself as he took hold of Qon's torch and entered the cavern.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 **

** The cave interior was much like the outside; dark, damp and full of various lichen. The mogu party continued walking; it had been several hours since they had made entry – so far, Lei Shen had ordered them to descend. With the aid of both the climbing ropes and the natural downward slopes of the cavern, this was a simple task. Even so, as they walked, weapons in one hand and torch in the other, Lei Shen continued his search – eyes darting this way and that, desperately trying to find something – anything – that would signify the presence of The Master. **

** Eventually, the group made camp. A small fire was lit, thanks in part to extra firewood carried by one of his soldiers – he did not remember which. As the group sat, warming their hands and eating their meagre meals, the conversation soon began anew: **

** "My lord. We have been scouring these caverns for hours – and nothing. Simply cave water and plants.". **

** Lei Shen turned his head harshly toward the soldier in question. "Do you not think I know that?! I have eyes, idiot." Sighing, he turned back to his bread loaf; taking another bite, he continued "Our trek has been long and arduous. I will not deny this – but we cannot falter now. Weakness will destroy us, brothers; remember the lessons of old!" **

** "My lord," Qon spoke up, eying the rest of the group briefly, "At the speed we eat our rations" he motioned to the wrapped bread, "we will exhaust our supply within a week's time. It may be best to travel slower – to not hunger ourselves as fast." **

** Nodding, Lei Shen pushed his bread into his pack. "Agreed. There should be a river somewhere in here – if I know my caverns, the closer we get to the ground, the easier that it should be to find a water source." Laying back onto the hard gravel of the cavern floor, he sighed. "We sleep now. Decide who takes first watch, and make it quick." **


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7 **_

_** What if you're wrong? **_

** _What if there is nothing here? _**

_** What if the legend is simply a legend? A fairytale to scare gullible beings like yourself? **_

**The voice was back, again – but different. It spoke to him in his dream – trying to make the warlord doubt his path. It whispered to him scenarios that Lei Shen had pushed out of his mind long before the journey started – if he was wrong, if the group found nothing – what then? **

** _Then we will die here, _he spoke confidently to the voice. _Failure is not an option. I will find The Master and unify our people or I will die trying. That is our way – no. That is my way. _**

**The dreams – of doubt, of pride, of anger – had become more intense. The closer that he got to his goal, the more vivid they became. Before he set out on this journey, the dreams had never existed – he did not have such visions. But now – they were ceaseless; every time he closed his eyes, he knew that the voice would be there to confront him. To taunt him. **

** _You will not break me. _Lei Shen repeated to himself, over and over again. It was this mantra that kept the voices from snapping his already fragile willpower – from letting his doubt and anger get the better of him. Emotions were useful in times of battle, but during times of decision such as this – they were a hindrance to his goals. **

** Any who hinder him will not stand. From fellow mogu, to any of the disgusting "lesser" races that populated the world, and even his own clan – none would stand against Lei Shen and his dreams of a unified future. **

**Emotions, too, would not stand. **

** The group pressed onward, stepping down another narrow set of stone crevices. Reaching the end, the guards at the front rounded the corner with their weapons up – but nothing was there to greet them. Simply more dark, narrow passageway. **

** Sighing to himself, Lei Shen rounded the corner, too. Peering down the passage in particular, he strained his eyes and flexed his ears – trying desperately to hear or see anything that would point him in the right direction. Still, however, it eluded him. **

** "Bah!" he cried, smashing a fist into the rock, which caused small chunks to fly off and land at the feet of his companions. His knuckles ached with pain, but he did not care – the rage he felt numbed his nerves and pain was the last thing on his mind right now. "Still we search. Still we find nothing!" Stomping off from his guards, he broke into a light jog as he rushed down the passageway – before he noticed a sound. It was faint, at first, but the closer he got to the presumed end of the passage, the clearer it became. **

** It was a slight roar – not from an animal, but from water. **

_**Water! I knew it – those mountaineering expeditions came in handy after all, Father. **_

** It was a small triumph, but it was the first the group had experienced since entering the cave . Beckoning to his guards, they caught up to Lei Shen to find indeed, a small, narrow stream flowed down and curved off to the left at the bend they approached. The water was not much – barely enough to fill their skins, but it meant survival – precious life-giving fluid that would sustain them far longer then the bread, now almost gone, would. Motioning to his soldiers as they refilled as many skins as they could, Lei Shen pointed down the curved bend. "The water flows downward, as I said earlier – if my experience with mountaineering is correct, it shall flow down to ground level. If we follow it – we will have a path through most of the mountain." **

** His guards looked at each other with a mixture of relief and fear. "But my lord," one of them finally spoke up after a rather uncomfortable silence "Are you abandoning the search?"  
**

**Scoffing, Lei Shen waved a hand dismissively. "Of course not. But when we DO find Him, we will be able to find our way down from here before this place becomes our resting place. And I do not think any of you wish to be entombed in a cursed mountain for all eternity – do you?" **

** Not waiting for them to answer, he trudged onward, crouching as the bend shrank in height slightly – not enough for him to worry, but enough to cause his back slight discomfort as he found himself almost reduced to crawling. After several minutes of following the water, he reached a steep incline, where the water dropped off onto another cliff face before descending even further downward with a sheer drop – further then his eyes could see, even with the aid of the torch. **

**_Thankfully, my soldiers thought to bring rope,_ Lei Shen mused. **

** After the group rappelled down the cliff-face, they came to yet another junction – the river flowed off down a path to the left, leading down a passageway lined with slippery, moss covered rocks. The right path, however, appeared to be another cliff-face that lead to a drop off. Out of curiosity, Lei Shen walked over to the cliff's edge and peered down with his torch. **

** This cliff-face was far shorter a drop then the one that the group had just traversed, and the bottom appeared to be nothing more then more rocks and moss. But then – something caught the mogu's eye. Blinking with surprise, he focused on the anomaly that he noticed – a sparkling light, far off to the north. **

** Intrigued, he leaned out as far on the cliff's edge as he could, pushing his torch and his body outward so that he barely held onto the cliff by his remaining hand. Lei Shen was not a suicidal man, but what he was doing now was nothing short of insane – but would it be worth it? **

** As he peered into the darkness, he got his answer. **

** It was a door – it appeared to be carved from some form of sturdy rock and was bronze in colour. The sparkling light appeared to be coming from the centre of the door – perhaps the handle or entry mechanism. It was far too distant to see any clearer, but it was an artificial structure – the entire cave had been nothing but black, moss covered rocks that appeared to follow the same pattern all throughout the various passageways that the group had followed. **

** "My lord!" Qon shouted, interrupting Lei Shen's shock. Coming back to reality, he shot backwards onto the platform, making sure to land firmly on his feet. "What are you doing?" Qon shot him a concerned glance, "Are you feeling alright?" **

** With a grin, Lei Shen nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, Qon. Yes! I see something down there – something worth investigating." He then waited for the rest of his guards to appear before pointing out the door that sat in the distance, enticing him as though a long forgotten lover. **

"**I...I don't believe it." Tao-Quan spoke first, his voice a mixture of fear and awe. **

"**The...the legends. They were true..." chimed in another. **

"**By the Gods..." Qon mouthed in awe, eyes agape in wonder. **

** Lei Shen could not help but feel a sense of triumph. They had doubt him since they began this hunt. They had whispered behind his back when his clan began its march towards the base of the Sacred Mount. But now – they were on the verge of destiny. It was, quite literally a door away. His heart raced with anticipation and his breathing grew shallow. **

** For the first time in a very long age, Lei Shen felt _alive. _**

** "My-my lord," Tao-Quan spoke after regaining his composure. "We sh-should rappel down at once. We m-must open that doorway and find Him..The sooner, the better." the guard nodded, his head bobbing up and down manically. **

** "No." Came his voice, as forceful as he could make it. **

** "My lord?" It was Qon who spoke now, eyebrow raised at his master in confusion. **

** "I will go. Alone. This is my mission – my destiny. I will re-awaken Him and return triumphant." Glancing about, he noticed the looks on his guards' faces – they ranged from shock to fear. They clearly did not feel at ease at the prospect of leaving him alone here – but if it was for true loyalty or simply the desire to 'share in the glory', per an ancient proverb, Lei Shen did not know. **

** "My lord," Qon spoke up, voice crackling slightly in shock. "You cannot! This is unknown and potentially hostile territory." Gesturing out to the faint light, he continued, "Furthermore, we have sworn our lives to protect you – I have sworn MY life to you since you came of age! I would never forgive myself if you were harmed in any way. I must accompany you – nay, we must accompany you. You are our lord and leader – for good or ill."  
**

** "I appreciate the kind words, Qon, but this is something I must do." Patting his loyal protector on the shoulder, he returned to face the cliff's edge. "Alone. If something has gone wrong with Him – and, Gods forbid, something has corrupted Him – I must stand, as a testament to my own strength. If I am worthy, I will return with Him and His blessings – and forge a unified Mogu Empire. If I am not worthy..." **

** He paused, licking his lips and exhaling deeply. **

** "...I will not return at all. Now, I want you men to follow the river. Keep your skins full and make your way down to ground level. Our clan has camped out just south of the Mount. Find them." Pausing, he turned his head in the direction of his guards. "If I do not return within two weeks' time, inform Vu that he may do with the clan what he wishes. " **

** "My lord, no!" It was Qon who broke the few seconds of uneasy silence. "We need you! You are the only leader that the clan knows. Our enemies press in on us and Lord Guo-Lai; he cannot protect us forever. Furthermore, I have sworn to serve you until my last. I cannot simply leave you here." **

"**Go, Qon. With any luck, I will return – and our enemies will learn to fear us, instead of mocking us. Leave me a rope and one waterskin." **

** Qon reluctantly waved the guards to follow the water path, which lead down a steep incline off to the right of the cliff-face. As they departed, Lei Shen grabbed the rope and waterskin left for him before approaching the cliff-face once more. Sighing, he tossed his torch down to the bottom, listening as it hit the ground with a clatter, dimly illuminating the ground around it. **

** "This is your destiny, Lei Shen..." he mumbled to himself as he began to tie the rope off to one of the rocks alongside the cliff, "Your moment to define who you and your people are.". After he finished securing the rope, he gave it a tug to test its weight – thankfully for him, it held. **

** Taking a few deep breaths, Lei Shen slid himself off the edge of the cliff, grasped the rope with one hand, and then the other, and began to slide his way down the cliff, slowly, keeping his feet secure on the rock-face as he slid lower and lower. All the while, his thoughts stayed calm and focused – on what he would find, not _if_ he would find anything. **

** After several minutes – but what seemed an eternity - he reached the ground below. Reaching down, he found that his torch had fortunately stayed lit – there was no way he could re-light it in here, so without that, he would be lost in the darkness forever. Exhaling rapidly, he took a sip from his waterskin, idly wiping sweat from his brow with his free hand. Upon that, he began to cautiously stride forward, towards the light and the door – and with any luck, his destiny. **

** Upon his approach to the door, Lei Shen unsheathed his axe and cautiously approached it – now that he was within mere feet of it, he could see it more clearly; The door was tall, roughly twice the height of his person. It was a light brown in colour and had many, what appeared like notches in its frame. The "light" he had seen earlier was light from within whatever lay behind the door, visible from a wheel-like hatch upon the front centre. As he walked right up to the door, he cautiously lowered his axe to the ground, reaching out with his sweat-soaked palm towards the 'handle'. **

** Grasping it – it was warm, not at all like the cavern that it entered out into – he turned it with a sharp exhale. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

** The door shuddered as the wheel began to spin slowly from his action, which caused him to reach down rapidly and grasp his axe once more, holding it out in front of him in a combat stance. Within seconds, the door slid open, the handle parting at the middle to slide open – leading to something that caused Lei Shen to audibly gasp. **

** Beyond the door was a hallway of sorts, however, it was no ordinary hall. The walls were black with alcoves on both sides that held what appeared to be constellation models in them – Lei Shen knew all of them, as he remembered seeing all of the ones found in the alcoves – The Bear, the Halberd, the Mace, and so on – as a child. The alcoves, numbering two on either side of the walls – lead down a small set of steps to the end of the hallway, where another door lay – but also to what he presumed was another joining corridor. **

** Mouth agape, he pressed inside, holding his weapon up close. As he cautiously walked along the floor, he saw the walls themselves held white pinpricks of light upon them – it almost coated the walls, running the entire distance of the room – illuminating the entire area around him. The faint hum of some kind was audible in the distance, but he knew not what the source was. Eventually he reached the stairs and climbing down them, felt his legs shaking violently. This was history in the making – history that he was creating! The first Mogu to even set foot inside the Master's domain since the Curse. **

** As he reached the end of the hallway, he peered down the right-hand corridor and saw a small square room with a mysterious device in the centre of it. Deciding that this device may reveal more information to him, he cautiously entered the room, weapon held high. Finding nothing, he pressed his way inward – finding more of the same lights and decoration in this room as the hallway. The device in front of him appeared to be shaped as a large half-oval connected to two smaller ones – but it was ordinate, with buttons and what appeared to be some form of polish clearly visible. **

**Outstretching his shaking hand, Lei Shen ran his fingers along the device. It was smooth and warm to the touch. Peering around, finding nothing else of interest in the room, he decided to trust his instincts – which were telling him to tinker with this...thing...and see what it did – and pressed the centre button, which was a metallic grey. Immediately, the device illuminated, causing the startled mogu to raise his axe in an attack posture before realizing he was in no real danger. Just as he began to regain his composure, the device let out a sudden whirr before following up with a metallic, harsh sounding voice: **

"**Activation sequence online. Long term Assistant Security System engaging...**

**Ion systems at full charge. **

**Main capacitors fully functional. **

**Activating user interaction device." **

** Startled, Lei Shen let out a cry of fear as he fell to the ground, the impact causing his back to radiate in pain. Reaching for his axe, which had fallen from his grip, he grasped it -only to be greeted by what appeared to be a large circle of light and stars, bobbing around him in the room.**

"**What are you!?" the warlord cried out, swinging his weapon in desperation more then anything. **

** "Stand by." The voice was no longer harsh, but soft and almost feminine – almost. "Remain steady for identification scan." Upon the completion of that sentence, the circle emitted a beam of silver-gray light that hit Lei Shen's face, causing him to close his eyes as a reflex. **

** "Retinal scan complete. Searching for subject identification in historical and security archives. Standby..." **

** Within seconds, the voice chirped at him again as he struggled to his feet, facing the creature – or whatever this thing that spoke to him – really was. "Identification record found. Subject is a ninety-nine point nine percent repeating match to historical constructs designated 'mogu'. Subject deviates from historical constructs due to matching anomaly designated 'Curse of Flesh'." **

** Startled, Lei Shen blinked at the creature. "Yes – I am Mogu. Are you Master Ra? You?" He sounded incredulous. This creature, the great Master of his people?! **

** "Negative. This unit is designated LASS, or Long-term Assistant Security System. This unit's primary responsibilities include maintenance and repair of facility designated 'Engine of Nalak'Sha', as well as security and well-being of Watcher Ra." **

** "Then where is he? Can...can I see him?" sputtered Lei Shen, eyes staring toward the construct. **

** "Watcher Ra is located at the opposing quadrant of this facility, carrying out Protocol Kappa-1A as directed by Maker Directive 7-Beta. Access to this facility is open. Follow the wall illumination to tram-way access to Watcher Ra's location." **

** The creature blinked out of existence and Lei Shen was left alone. Peering about, he noticed bright red illuminations coming from the side wall of the room, leading back toward the corner he had rounded just moments ago. At the same time, his mind was awash with emotions – fear, confusion, hope. His heart pounded in his ears as he began to cautiously follow the wall lightning towards its destination. Rounding the previous corner he had come through before, he found the door opposite the end of the hallway was now open, the red lightning glowing dimly through the doorway. **

** Passing through it, axe raised to cut down any foolish enough to stop him, Lei Shen found himself at the end of a giant ramp. The ramp was connected to a platform that appeared to be the connection point for something else – something large. Another of the console devices sat off to the side of the ramp. Approaching it, the mogu pressed the large button illuminating as before. A shrill whirring noise greeted him before the console responded in a harsh-sounding voice to his touch. **

"**Lift access granted. Ramp-way request dispatched to central platform. Standby for arrival." **

** Walking to the edge of the ramp-way, Lei Shen peered down and felt bile building up in his throat. Over the edge was nothing but blackness,, which encompassed a long white tube that ran off into the distance – towards what, if his eyes were right, appeared to be some kind of pipe or tube. **

**Peering back up, Lei Shen's mind continued to race, almost non-stop. **

_**This is it! You are at the Keeper...the Master himself! He will reward you...**_

_**He will give you the power to unify your people. To reforge them into an army that will answer to you, and rule this world as the Gods themselves ordained. All you must do is swallow your fear...embrace it. Charge, headlong at it – make it your servant, not the other way around. **_

_**You can do this, Lei Shen. You must do this. **_

_**There is no turning back now. **_

** Over his thoughts he did not hear the loud whooshing noise that startled him after he came out of his mind. The noise came from the direction of the ramp-way, as the console had referred to it as – as something golden grew closer and closer to the ramp itself. Raising his axe and clutching it tightly, so tight that he felt his hands rebelling in protest, Lei Shen braced himself for what was to come. **

** A massive, golden disc, the size of the tube itself, whirred to a stop at the ramp. A small bridge extended out to connect the platform to the ramp – and the familiar voice of LASS filled the room. **

** "This is Tramway Upsilon One. Access will enable user to travel to the inner section of the Engine of Nalak'sha, where Watcher Ra resides. User will not be harmed and thus, weapons are not necessary upon entry."  
**

** Nodding, Lei Shen lowered his axe to his side – still keeping it in his grasp. Stepping out onto the platform, he peered around, checking his surroundings for anything he may have missed – nothing. The room was the same as it was minutes ago. "I..." He swallowed hard "I am ready. Take me to The Master." _This is it. Destiny..._the voice mused, _Champion of the Mogu...You. _**

** "Acknowledged. Tramway Upsilon One activation sequence engaging. Destination programmed. Time to access: Four minutes, fifty one seconds. Standby." **

** Suddenly, the platform's edges folded up slightly. **

** "Safety railings engaged for mortal transit. Please do not attempt to exit tramway until destination is reached." **

** The platform emitted a loud whirr as a glass dome encased the top of it, covering it completely. Lei Shen remained unfazed, his mind still focused on the destination. He cared not what LASS spoke next – if it spoke. He stood upon the platform, exhaling and inhaling rapidly, preparing himself for what would come next. **

** And if on cue, the platform lurched forward at a high speed. **

** As the tramway raced through the tube, a faint hum permeating the silence, Lei Shen paced back and forth. _How long had it been since he departed from his companions? How long had it been since they began the climb up the Sacred Mount? _It was as if he had lost all track of time while he was here. **

** Sweat dripped down his brow as he clenched his battle-axe to his side, the tube gliding past him in a blur of gold and white, and he exhaled sharply. The thoughts of flesh – hunger, thirst, sleep – did not occur to him, and he preferred to keep it that way. Reaching to his left side, he plucked the water-skin from its pouch and drained the last bit of water onto his face, letting the now lukewarm liquid wash the sweat from his eyes and forehead. **

"**Attention passenger: Tramway now approaching destination point. Prepare for deceleration."**

** LASS's robotic voice brought him back to reality as the tramway came to a halt before lurching upward into the Engine of Nalak'sha. **


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

** The room that Lei Shen found himself in was darkened, its wall illumination kept to a dim. Circular in size, the mogu noticed several console devices positioned upon the walls. Stepping off the platform, Lei Shen looked up and saw what appeared to be three spherical devices hanging from the ceiling. The devices glowed with a blue hum and emitted the same whirring noise as the platform he had just come from. As he struggled to get his bearings, Lei Shen peered about the room frantically, searching for something – anything – to signify the location of The Master. **

** "I knew that this day would come." **

** The voice was booming and echoed throughout the room, causing the mogu to stagger forward, startled and afraid. Raising his axe into a combat stance, it soon clattered to the floor as Lei Shen found the voice that had greeted him. **

** The figure was massive – at least twice the size of himself and any other Mogu – and was clad in bronze and earthen colors, wearing a type of uniform as far as he could see. Following his eyes up the figure's midsection, he soon found himself face to face with two massive glowing eyes – which stared at him, head tilted slightly to the right, as though it were studying him. The figure proceeded to raise one of its hands up to its face and run it through what seemed to be a massive tuft of facial hair before walking forward ever so slightly. **

_**The Master. **_

** Falling to his knees, Lei Shen knelt, mouth agape, as he bowed deeply before the figure. His whole body fought him – his arms and legs trembled ferociously and his heart raced in his head, but he knew that his long journey was over. **

** "You are m-m-m-The Master..." he was able to mumble before falling into a stammering mess. **

** "There is no need to kneel before me, mortal. Rise." The figure waved a hand dismissively at him. "I am no deity – nor are you my servant." **

** Rising to his feet slowly, Lei Shen kept his head bowed low as he spoke. "I have c-come a long way to find you, Master Ra. We – I, kept the faith alive. I knew you were still a-alive. The others, they did not believe me, but I persevered. I k-knew that I would find you intact here in the Sacred Mountain."  
**

** A rumbling sigh came from the direction of the figure of Ra as he reached up, hands fiddling with one of the large spherical devices hanging from the ceiling. "You speak of your people's faith in 'The Master', mortal. I am not the deity from your people's folklore." **

** "B-but you are! Our legends are very clear. We w-walked among the earth with the Gods themselves, with you, The Storm, as our master. We destroyed all who opposed their will! Brought order to this world!" Lei Shen stammered, mouth as dry as his water-skin. **

** "Is that what your tales tell? Hmm.." Ra nodded to himself before walking – the ground shook slightly as he did so – towards the far wall, pressing the buttons laden upon one of the consoles. "Fundamentally, your tales are true, mortal. But – your glorification of myself and The Makers as deities does all of us a disservice." **

** "Y-you created us, Master Ra!" Lei Shen shouted, as he walked towards his new location slowly, "You guided us as we slew the Seven Headed Beast of legends! Without you, w-we are nothing." **

** "I recall all of this information as though it was yesterday, little mortal." Ra turned back around, facing towards Lei Shen once more, "But there is much that is not told to you or your people due to memory alone. Tell me, little one, what do your tales say about how you came to be?" **

** "T-the curse of flesh struck us suddenly," the mogu stammered, waving his hands as if to emphasize. "We began t-to breathe and bleed and die! We felt it was b-because you found us unworthy servants. We sacrificed so many to the Mountain to try to appease you, my lord..but nothing. We soon fell into v-violence and infighting." Lei Shen sighed, peering towards the platform, "That is why I came to f-find you. So that together, you would see us as worthy, and we can return to the world and reunite my people. Show them the order we once imposed!" **

** A harsh, shrill sounding laugh boomed from Ra. "Hah! You believe -I- would remove your stone form, little one? I would – nor could – do no such thing. Your people, the mogu constructs, were excellent and effective soldiers of The Makers and their will. I never felt your kind unworthy of their forms. In-fact, if you must know, little one, I know not why you lost your bodies of stone. It remains a mystery even to myself." **

** His heart sank as this new information struck him – The Master did not know why the Mogu had been cursed with flesh. He could not cure them. "B..but surely, you know that d-despite our lost stone, we can still serve under you? United, my people can – and will – prove to you our military might once more! Those who oppose the order of the Gods will b-be felled beneath our blades. I swear to you!" **

** "It is not that simple, little one. When I lost contact with the constructs protecting the facilities in the Vale and elsewhere, I activated LASS and its surveillance systems. I wanted to find out why your kind had ceased responding to my orders." Ra exhaled a loud, rumbling sigh before continuing. "By the time I was able to observe your people, I found you had begun to slaughter one another with your new forms of flesh. It disheartened me – that so many of my constructs had lost their way, and I knew not why! I asked my fellow Watchers about the malady that plagued your kind, but even they were at a loss. So, simply, I did what I was programmed to do – continue the vigil over the winged legions and their dead god. I could not simply sacrifice my mission to attempt to aid wayward constructs." **

** "I am sorry, little one," Ra peered down at Lei Shen, frowning slightly. "But I could do nothing to aid your kind. I still cannot. And I am bound by my mission. I cannot abandon my post – even for my former constructs." **

** Shaking, Lei Shen stared up at Ra, a mixture of confusion and anger in his eyes. "B...but why? We could help yo -" **

** "No. You cannot – little one, my mission is more important then you know. It is more important then myself and my fellow Watchers. More important then all mortal life upon this world. I cannot break my vigil – for if I do, there is a chance that the world itself will be consumed." **

** "But we are your children!" Lei Shen cried, voice filling with rage and sadness as he shouted. "We deserve – nay, demand – answers! I want the power to unify my people! Only you can do this! I swore to find you, Master, and find out why you ignored us! Why do you still forsake us?!" **

** "You are part of this world now, little one." Ra nodded, "And as a part of this world, I can do nothing to help you or your kind. Your people must find their own destiny; their own culture, values, and the like. I cannot impose my own order onto you." **

** For the first time in his adult life, tears flowed from Lei Shen's eyes. **

** _The dissidents were right. The Master is dead. _**

_** All of this time, your "Master" has been false. A false prophet. **_

_** You know what you must do, Lei Shen. You must take the power you need from him to save your people. He stole that power from your rightful Master, now you must take it back – so that the Gods may work through -you- directly. **_

**_am not worthy. _Lei Shen told the voice. **

** _You are worthy. You are deserving. Take it from this charlatan. Use his power for your own needs. Forge a nation! Use your emotions and rip the power from his false heart! _**

** His mind rebelled against him. Lei Shen fell to his knees, panting. The thoughts were back – and they were much stronger this time. Much, much stronger. **

** _Look at how he makes you cry. You, a powerful warlord, reduced to tears by this false god. Is that how you want to be remembered? As a crybaby who was overcome with sorrow when informed by this...this liar? _**

** _How can I destroy a god? _**

_** Easily, Lei Shen. Use your own strength – you have it within you! **_

** Peering around the room, Lei Shen spotted his axe off to the right-hand side, resting upon the floor near the platform. He stood up, slowly, and staggered his way over to it, gripping the familiar leather handle tightly. Peering down at the wicked blades, he stared hard. **

**Could he do it? Could he destroy a false god? It was clear that this was not Master Ra, the creator of his people, but some false illusion who usurped His power. He had to be destroyed in order to restore the balance to the world – not just for the mogu, but for the very Gods themselves. **

**_ But they would need a speaker, _Lei Shen thought to himself. Before long, the voice responded right on schedule. **

_**Speak for The Gods, Lei Shen. If you strike down this false charlatan, The Gods will deem you worthy of speaking for Them. **_

** A dark smirk came upon Lei Shen's face as he realized that the voice was right. If the Gods could not speak through Master Ra, they could speak through him. He would be Their voice in this world. **

** In the meantime, Ra studied Lei Shen as he gripped his weapon. "If there is nothing else, little mortal," he quipped, "please, take your leave." Pointing to a barely illuminated door resting upon one of the walls in the chamber, he continued. "That door will guide you down a pathway to the base of the mountain. My systems have detected a large encampment of your people in the southern plateau." **

** "You, false prophet..." Lei Shen murmured to himself, "...are no longer needed." **

** With that, the mogu turned around sharply, facing towards Ra's massive lower body and let out a savage cry, propelling himself forward with his feet. Within seconds, he cleared the gap between the two and swung his axe in an overhead arc.**


	10. Chapter 10

**The axe connected with Ra's "knee", smashing through whatever material the Watcher was made out of and causing a bright red, viscous fluid to spew from the wound. The Watcher let out a howl of pain and surprise, before Lei Shen felt a massive blow hit him full-force in the chest – Ra had smashed him with his fist. **

** Lei Shen flew off of Ra's leg, flying several feet into the wall, where he smashed into it with a sickening thud, before collapsing to the floor of the room. Moaning in pain, he struggled to re-adjust to his surroundings as he peered around. The room appeared to be spinning and his whole body rebelled in agony. **

** Seething, Ra leaned down and ripped a hideous chunk of "skin" off of his wound, where the axe had torn some of it free. He threw it towards the wall, where it connected with a metallic thud before sliding to rest near the prone body of the mogu who had dared assault him. **

** "You...have made a grave mistake, little one." Ra scowled in anger, raising a hand to the ceiling. "I wield the power of storms themselves. And I will not hesitate to use them upon those who wish to harm me or stop my mission here!" **

** Lei Shen drew himself to his hands and knees in time to see Ra send a massive blue jolt his way, which smashed into him at full blast, causing him to fall back to the ground, screaming. The pain was as if a thousand knives were being plunged into his skin, over and over again. Gritting his teeth as he convulsed from the intensity of the pain, Lei Shen rolled onto his back, wheezing. Peering about, he saw the "skin" plate from his assault on the Watcher lying off to the side, the viscous coating it. About the size of his chest, Lei Shen mustered all of his strength and crawled weakly towards the plate. With his axe presumably still embedded in Ra's leg, he had no way to defend himself – and without something to fight back, he was doomed. **

** Reaching the skin plate, Lei Shen reached out and grasped some of the red fluid. Suddenly, he felt the radiating pain in his body decrease ever so slightly. It was as if he had applied a salve to wounds – the pain was still there, but numbed ever so slightly. Raising his head weakly, he grabbed the plate and pulled it towards him, before his face collapsed into the side of the plate coated in the fluid – and he began to lap at it with his tongue. _If it could numb his pain in small doses, imagine what it could do in large doses..._**

** The fluid had no taste as far as he could tell, but he sucked down as much of it as he could – and indeed, Lei Shen felt the pain starting to leave his body. His ribs, which were definitely broken before, felt as if there was some magical force setting them back into place. His skin, which smelled of seared flesh, presumably from the lightning strike made by Ra, began to cool. Finally having the energy to stand, Lei Shen grabbed the skin plate and held it in front of him like a shield, facing definitely towards Ra's direction. **

** "Impressive, little one." mused the Watcher as he peered at the mogu's now standing form, "I see you have utilized the power of my blood to recuperate. A pity it will do nothing for you in the long term." **

** Before he could react, a bolt of lightning smashed into his right shoulder, causing him to howl in pain and drop to one knee. Everything in Lei Shen's body told him to drop the plate and fall to the ground, but his mind urged him forward. _You can defeat him! _The hideous smell of burnt flesh returned, but Lei Shen ignored it. Another bolt hit into his left shoulder now – the searing pain now covering both sides of his body – but Lei Shen held strong. Gritting his teeth and sweating, he let out a mighty war-cry and got to his feet. "Face me as a warrior, false god! Or hide like a coward be-behind your parlor tricks!" **

** "Raaah! Perish, arrogant one! " Ra yelled in frustration, before curling the fingers on both hands and letting out a blast of lightning energy toward the Mogu. **

** Bracing himself, Lei Shen felt the lightning smash into the skin plate he held – but it did not break or disintegrate. It shuddered violently in his hands – but it stood stable. _It must be that his body reacts against the lightning..._his mind raced as he panted heavily, spittle flying from his mouth. **

_**It is now or never, Lei Shen! Go! **_

** The voice urged him on. With every joint in his body wracked with pain, Lei Shen forced his legs forward towards Ra, slowly. **

** The Watcher growled in surprise. _Of course! He had used his body's Armour plating against him. _"You are smart, little one, but not smart enough! The storms – all of them – bow to me! You can do nothing against me that will see you emerge the victor here." Ra tired of his intrusion. With a smirk, he held his hands out, one hovering over the other, as a massive orb of lightning began to build up in the space between them. This attack had slain thousands of mantid fliers during the ancient wars – a single mortal would prove no match against it. **

** The blast of lightning smashed into the plate he held in front of him – causing Lei Shen and the plate to shake violently, as though standing against the storms themselves. The plate held, but Lei Shen felt that a single miscalculation on his part would result in his incineration. As he tried to urge himself forward, he found that the sheer power of the lightning – which was being sustained against his shield by Ra – was blocking him from doing anything. Worse still, his arms began to ache and protest against holding the plate against such force, and he knew that if even if he did nothing, he would still die. His arms began to slowly push back, the plate growing closer and closer to his chest. **

** _I...cannot hold it..._ his mind cried out, as he pushed all of his joints as hard as he could, barely being able to keep the stream of lightning from destroying him. **

_** Use your inner will, Lei Shen! If you succeed here, the Gods themselves will be with you! Do you wish to fall now, on the apex of your ascension? Do you wish to perish and let him continue to blaspheme against Them?! **_

** Panting with rage, Lei Shen knew the voice was right. He could not fall here – he was so close! All he had to do was defeat this usurper and the strength to unify his people, the strength to speak for the Gods was his. A primal growl began to echo from his heart – this was not a mere war cry, but something much, much more. It built in him like a thunderstorm built until he felt it ready to unleash. The anger, rage, hope, fear, violence, doubt and pride was all coalesced into this one final burst of supernatural strength. If it worked, he would win. If it did not, he would die. It was now or never. **

** "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH! FALL BEFORE THE TRUE SPEAKER OF THE GODS, FALSE ONE!" he cried, his voice not sounding like his own. Just after his declaration, he pushed upon the plate with all of his might – and it began to move towards Ra, in his favor. Slowly but surely, the plate slid forward as the lightning blast began to curve upwards and downwards, harmlessly hitting the floor – but he knew that it was beginning to turn back upon the Watcher. Seething with rage, he let out one final inhuman cry and threw the plate forward. **

** The lightning blast arced upward before reflecting back upon Ra, striking him in the leg wound that Lei Shen had inflicted. Ra let out a cry of pain as lightning flew up and down his body, small pops of energy blasting visibly ontop of his body. Lei Shen felt a faint mist of the red fluid hit him on the face – clearly, his reversal of fortunes had injured the Watcher. The lightning blast ceased as Ra began to convulse and he fell to the floor with a sickening crash, causing the entire room to vibrate. **

** Lei Shen dropped the plate he held and collapsed to his hands and knees. He had done it – he had destroyed this false god – but at what price? His body was ravaged with pain. Burns dotted his shoulders and even with the fluid's healing, he felt as though he had been set upon by a herd of trampling mushan. Peering up, however, he saw his opponent had suffered worse. **

** Ra lay upon the platform that Lei Shen had came in on, prone and motionless. His clothes had been burned off – save for his boots, a small section of his pants and shirt – and hideous wounds covered his chest and face, a long, thin scar running across his right eye. Sparks flew from his body as the lightning began to dissipate from the room. **

** Getting to his feet slowly, Lei Shen cautiously moved towards the prone Watcher. He spied something glowing upon his chest – the lightning strike had burned an outline through the Watcher's clothing. It was crystalline in shape and rested in his upper chest cavity. Sparks flew from it as Lei Shen grew closer and closer. Peering at it, he realized that this may be where the power of the storms came from – this crystal. Something within him told him that the crystal was the key. **

** Looking about the room, Lei Shen stumbled over to where his axe lay prone and grasped it, returning to the prone form of Ra. Using all of his remaining strength, he clambered up the size of the Watcher's chest and sat atop him, staring into the still open but vacant and dead-looking eyes of a false god. **

** "Now..." Lei Shen panted, spitting blood from his mouth as he did so, "The power to unify my people will belong with a true servant of the Gods.." With a harsh cry, he buried the axe into the spot where the crystal outline was, causing more fluid to spray everywhere – but Ra made no sound and did not react. Hand trembling, he reached into the chest cavity where he had opened it – inside felt as though it were a maze of snakes and silkworms, all giving him a slight sting as he fumbled around. Finally, his hand grasped the edge of the crystal – and a jolt of electricity arced into his arm as he let out a mighty roar and pulled the crystal free of Ra's body. **

** The crystal was deep blue, the colour of the water – and was about the size of Lei Shen's palm. It sparkled and crackled with energy as he held it, but curiously it did not harm him. Sliding himself to the floor, he stumbled towards the door that Ra had gestured to earlier, but fell to his knees before making it halfway there. Peering down at the crystal, Lei Shen knew that this was the key to the power of the storms themselves – but how would he be able to utilize it? **

** _Put it into your chest. You must do what the false god did. You know this..._**

** The voice echoed in his head. Bury the crystal in his chest? Would he even survive that? And even then, would it work? **

** "...I have no choice." he said aloud to no one in particular. "I...I will succeed at this or die trying. That...that was my oath." Drawing a deep, harsh breath, he held the crystal up to his chest before pulling away with his hand and drawing back, ramming the crystal into his chest, just below his heart. **

** The pain was instantaneous. Lightning crackled and flew everywhere inside Lei Shen's body – every joint, every bone crackled and roared with the pressure of electricity – as he felt his feet leave the floor, the lightning acting as a conduit for him. He wanted to scream, but had no energy to as the lightning filled his mouth when he opened it. The pain grew even more intense – he was not sure if he could survive. Just as his eyes began to close, he heard the wind – or at least, he thought it was the wind – in his ear. **

_**You are worthy of our control.. **_

_**You are not as the other one was...**_

_**Your strength is unquestioned. We bow to you, mortal.**_

** The voices echoed in his mind for a long time as he screamed inwardly, the lightning continuing to blast at his body – it was as if every storm known to history was being redirected through his body at the same time. **

** Just as the voices seemed to cease echoing, the lightning stopped and Lei Shen fell to the floor – the room going black as he felt his body connect with the room. **


	11. Chapter 11

"**Damn it, Lei Shen. Where are you?" **

** Sparkmancer Vu was worried, and rightfully so. Well over a week and a half ago, his old friend and clan leader's guard party had returned from their expedition to the Sacred Mount – minus their leader. Qon, Lei Shen's bodyguard and protector had told Vu that he had gone ahead into a facility that they believed to be the location of The Master himself. **

** Qon had also relayed to Vu Lei Shen's command; wait one week, and if he had not returned, Vu was to assume control of the clan and do with it what he wished. It had been almost two weeks now, and Vu still had not done so – not out of lack of ambition, but out of loyalty to his old friend. Vu and Lei Shen had grown up together, and had become brothers at an early age. Vu stood by him no matter what – and when Lei Shen had told him to march the clan to the base of the Thundering Mountain and await his return, he did so gladly, even if he did not agree with the reason why. **

** Vu had sent out three search parties to comb the base of the mountain for any sign of their leader, but so far nothing had been found. Qon had tried to convince Vu to follow his orders and assume control, but Vu refused to do such a thing – at least, not yet. _Something inside tells me he is alive, _he mused to himself, idly smoking on the hookah pipe at his side. **

"**Lord Vu." A voice interrupted his thinking – it was Qon. **

"**Yes, Qon?" Vu turned to face the red-skinned bodyguard of Lei Shen. **

** "Have you decided to assume control yet? It is what my lord wished.." Qon looked at him with visible disapproval – it was clear that he was angry at Vu for not following Lei Shen's orders. **

"**Not yet, Qon. We cannot give up on him. I...I cannot give up on him. Something -" **

** At that moment, gasps and screams were heard from the camp. Vu and Qon both looked towards the source and saw, to their amazement, the thunder clouds around the summit of the Sacred Mount had parted. They were no longer there! **

** Standing up, Vu peered towards Qon, gesturing with his free hand. "Send out more search parties. That has to be a sign – either that or the Master is toying with us. Go, Qon! He must be alive.." **


	12. Chapter 12

**As he stumbled out of the cavern, Lei Shen grasped at his eyes as the sunlight of day hit him. His eyes burned with pain from the exposure, and his body also continued to ache and seethe with pain – but he had made it. **

** After he awoke, he found that the storms indeed bowed to him. He could conjure lightning, craft it into weapons, even summon storm avatars – gigantic elemental monstrosities made of pulsing clouds – to do his bidding. He departed from Ra's sanctum, leaving the false god there – LASS had informed him that the Watcher had entered into "long term stasis" in response to the injuries inflicted upon him, but that mattered little to Lei Shen. He had the power now. **

** As he peered down the rock trail he faced, he saw a camp at the base of the mountain – it was his own. Smirking, Lei Shen peered down at himself – the crystal that he had "salvaged" from the false god peered out of his skin slightly, but not so much as to arouse suspicion. Despite everything, he knew that he could not tell anyone, not even his clan mates or family, what transpired in the Mountain. _None would believe that I slew a false god...They would think I killed the real Master. _**

**Staggering down the path, he saw several Mogu peering around the rockface in front of him. Judging from their insignia, they were his soldiers – clearly, Vu was still looking for him. Deciding to approach them with some flair, Lei Shen reached out and marked a spot beyond the group of warriors with his mind – before using his new powers to shoot himself through the sky and land at that very location without a sound. **

"**Are you looking for me, warriors?" **

** Startled, the trio of soldiers spun around, letting out roars of anger – which quickly turned into shouts of joy. **

"**My lord!" **

"**You live! You live!"  
**

"**You emerge victorious!" **

** With a grin, Lei Shen nodded. "Take...take me back to camp. Gather the rest of the clan. I have news for them." **

** Lei Shen stood atop a large rock formation, his warriors upon their knees before him. There were hundreds – it was clear that Vu had taken a sizeable portion of his clan's warriors to the mountain in search of him. At his side stood Qon and Vu, who stood with their own heads bowed in respect. The men and women of the clan who gathered here witnessed Lei Shen's new powers – the thunder and storms bowing to him. He conjured storms with a wave of his hand. He created a whip of pure lightning with his fist. He conjured fierce, unceasing storms of electricity with a snap of his fingers. Before long, they had fallen to their knees before him. **

** "We will call you The Lightning King!" came a shout from the crowd. Turning his head to Vu and Qon, they both nodded in approval towards him. With a smirk, Lei Shen shook his head. **

** "Lightning strikes in an instant and is over in a flash.." A crash of lightning from one of his conjured storms. "But thunder...thunder!" The roar of thunder emanated from a far-off storm. "Thunder proclaims the coming of the storm. ****Thunder quakes the sky long before the lightning strikes – and thunder echoes in the hills long after lightning's power is spent." **

** Raising a hand to the skies, he continued. "It is thunder that sends animals cowering and fills the hearts of peasants with dread." Small jolts of lightning shot towards the sky at his command. "Let thunder be my herald, so that MY power is felt throughout the land." **

** It was at that moment that Lei Shen decided how he wanted to be truly remembered. **

"**I will be...The Thunder King." **


End file.
